Winning in Brussels, along with Chelsea beating Real Betis at Stamford Bridge, and the two English clubs in the group are virtually home and dry.

Certainly if Liverpool are able to then win one of their final three matches - two being at home to Betis and Anderlecht – the route to the next stage will be assured.

Benitez has made it clear he fully supports his £7m signing Crouch in the face of continued criticism, and the return of Harry Kewell to the squad in Europe will be one major step in the right direction of getting the best out of the England hitman.

Kewell is expected to make his first appearance since the Champions League final in Istanbul, when he limped out of the first half with an injury that eventually meant two summer operations on a hernia.

Benitez, while solidly behind Crouch, accepts Liverpool need to modify their system to get the best from him, and that means width and crosses. Kewell may not start, but Benitez sees him as crucial to progress.

He said: “Our problem is that we need to work better for Peter, with more crosses and the same applies to Fernando Morientes. We must get players to the by-line to provide crosses for them.

“At the moment we do not have such players fit, but when Harry Kewell is back then that is a possibility for us. We are trying to improve this situation, because the style that is better for him.”

Crouch’s best display for Liverpool since he joined was in the opening group win in Seville against Betis, where the Spanish defenders admitted they did not know how to cope with him.

Another such display against Anderlecht and the rangy striker will have firmly cemented himself into supporters’ good books.

And there’s plenty of support from his colleagues, too, with Dietmar Hamann leading the accolades.

“He has not looked out of place since the moment he walked into our training ground and in all the games he’s played so far, including England, he’s played very well,” said the German.

“Peter is a confident lad and he won’t let the abuse he got from England fans affect him. I can’t understand where the people criticising him are coming from. It’s totally undeserved.

“He’s suffering because he doesn’t look the most fashionable type of player, but it’s all about what you do on the pitch that matters, and we’ve seen his quality already.

“If you ask any Liverpool or England player, or either manager, they will say the same thing. We’re not all wrong. Maybe there are some people who just believe what they read instead of what they see.”

Liverpool’s impressive away record in Europe suggests Anderlecht should be defeated.

The Belgians have lost nine Champions League group stage games on the trot, and both their opening matches in the competition this season. Both by 1-0 to Chelsea and Betis.

They are waiting on the fitness of 19-year-old defender Vincent Kompany, who was rested from both Belgium internationals against Belarus and Spain in the hope he can shake off a back injury.

But their coach Frank Vercauteren is aware Anderlecht’s last group stage victory was in November 2003 against Lyon.